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Buddhist News THE BUDDHIST UNION There were food, merchandise and THE MAHAPRAJNA game stalls set up by volunteers, BUDDHIST SOCIETY 81st Anniversary Celebration organisations and businesses at Level 1 to 6, to help raise funds for 2020 Class Enrolment People’s Buddhism Study Society’s Building and Reconstruction Fund. While the games went on, one could spend quiet time and space at Level 7’s Art Exhibition and Level 8 roof- top (temporary tentage) for Buddha Bathing, Flower and Light Offerings. Social and Community Outreach The Buddhist Union celebrated its st 81 Anniversary on 17 November Start young and be immersed in 2019. In accordance with the Bud- the benevolent teachings of the As part of outreach and community dhist teachings of compassion, Buddha. Dharma classes held service, PBSS Welfare and Charity donations totalling up to $100,000 every Sunday will start on 5 Jan Team invited and hosted some el- were made to the following chari- 2020 for: derly living alone at Yishun Khatib ties to help the needy in the areas Sec 1 to 4 (10am-12noon) and area, patients with mental disorder of education, healthcare and social K1 to Pri 6 (2-4pm). For more from Xiser CareServe; and children welfare: details, visit www.tmbs.org.sg. and youths from Marymount Centre 1. Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic respectively. They had lunch and 2. Maha Bodhi School Management PEOPLE’S BUDDHISM spent some time at the funfair there- Committee STUDY SOCIETY after. To make a contribution, please 3. Sakyadhita visit http://dazhong.sg. 4. Metta Welfare Association Building Fundraising Funfair 5. Singapore Buddhist Federation SINGAPORE BUDDHIST 6. Buddha of Medicine Welfare So- MISSION (YOUTH) ciety 7. The Kembangan-Chai Chee Se- HALLOWEEN FUN GATHERING niors Activity Centre 8. Institute of Mental Health 9. Inter-Religious Organisation, Sin- gapore (IRO) Flower Adornment Repentance Recitation People’s Buddhism Study Society held a Building Fundraising Funfair on 17 November 2019, 9am-4pm. At the start of the morning, there was a Prayer and Sutra Recitation ses- sion, followed by a scheduled Dhar- ma Talk in the afternoon. In efforts to create more varied ac- tivities and to enliven gatherings, the Singapore Buddhist Mission In celebration of this blessed mile- (Youth) held a Halloween celebra- stone, The Buddhist Union also tion on 26 October 2019. There held in conjunction a 3-day Dharma were Buddhist sharings and movie Assembly where members of the screening, and the youths also took Sangha led the Prayer Recitation on the opportunity to exercise mindful- the Flower Adornment Repentance, ness they dressed in their favourite attended by many members and characters, while being mindful and devotees. respectful of the space they were in. 50 For You Information 佛友资讯 PB p50 - News.indd 50 2019/11/22 15:11:34 EVENTS DRIKUNG KAGYU (SINGAPORE) OM CENTRE MILAREPA EXHIBITION Milarepa. During the exhibition, 西藏人尊敬他。 Tibetans revere him. visitors were guided by volunteer 佛教徒受到他的启发。 Buddhists are inspired by him. exhibition guides where detailed 其他人对他很感兴趣。 Others are simply intrigued by him. explanations of each exhibit’s origin and significance were given, Jetsun Milarepa is an accomplished 11th century Buddhist practitioner and transporting visitors to the world poet, venerated by all Tibetan Buddhist Schools for his religious dedication where the Buddhist Master Milarepa and spiritual realisation. Perhaps best known through his biography, The once lived. Before the exhibition Life of Milarepa, the stories of Milarepa’s miracles have captivated the launch, For You Information imagination of readers for centuries. These miracles were performed not to interviewed Lama Dawa to find impress, but to challenge our perception of reality and to turn our minds to out more about the inspiration, seek answers to life’s many questions. motivation, concept and aspirations for this exhibition. For the first time in Singapore, Drikung Kagyu (Singapore) Om Centre held the Milarepa Exhibition from 26 October to 3 November 2019 at Nanyang Planting the Seed of the Dharma Poh Leng Hui Kuan, 10am to 6pm daily. Carefully curated by Lama Dawa, When asked why Milarepa was the Spiritual Advisor of Drikung Kagyu (S) Om Centre, Singapore is the third chosen as the central figure of stop of this exhibition tour. The exhibition made its debut in Bodhgaya, India the exhibition, Lama Dawa did and was soon followed by a second successful reception in Taipei, Taiwan. not hesitate and candidly replied, On the day of its opening here in Singapore, Member of Parliament Fatimah “I was intrigued, and at the same Lateef graced the elaborate opening ceremony and delivered the opening time amazed by all the stories I address. Many Venerables of all three Buddhist traditions from various heard about Milarepa when I was centres and temples also attended to lend their support, and respective younger. My mother would tell us representatives also delivered their congratulatory speeches as well. stories of Milarepa, and it was not only her who would share those This unprecedented exhibition showcased amazing stories. In fact, Milarepa thoughtfully curated exhibits – artworks, ancient was a commonly revered household artefacts, records and pictures of places, where name.” Lama Dawa also shared that Milarepa meditated during his lifetime and even a as he grew older, his initial intrigue life-sized installation of the cave. Amongst them turned into curiousity, and later awe are rare photographs of his birthplace, ascetic and respect when he learnt about practice, enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana the life story of Milarepa and how sites, providing a rare insight and authentic he became one of Tibet's most perspective of the life and accomplishments of famous and respected yogis and poets, serving as an example for These pieces of clothes belonged to Jetsun Milarepa. They came from the sacred mountain Lapchi and were placed in the treasure the Buddhist life. Milarepa was also chest from Lapchi. a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and PB For You Information 佛友资讯 51 p51- 53 EVENTS.indd 51 2019/11/22 15:12:24 a major figure in the history of the when his family fell from grace after the passing of his father. Things changed Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, totally for Milarepa when his aunt and uncle usurped the estate his late dad and thus Lama Dawa always had left for the family and deprived his surviving mum, brother and him of the the thought of wanting to spread family's wealth. Angered by the betrayal, his mum encouraged him to learn Milarepa's life story as widely as sorcery and to take revenge, which he eventually did, causing the death of possible. However, what strikes 35 people at his cousin’s wedding. people most about Milarepa is not just how he was an accomplished Overcome by sorrow and regret, Milarepa went to seek teachings from practitioner and siddha1, capable of Marpa3, the Translator. Before Marpa would teach Milarepa, he had him astonishing feats but, the poignant undergo many tormenting trials, such as requesting him to build, demolish process of how he became one. and re-build three towers consecutively. Milarepa was asked to build one final multi-story tower (9-storey) at Lhodrag, which still stands today. Eventually, Through Lama Dawa’s interaction Marpa accepted him, explaining that the trials were skilful means to purify with disciples and the lay community, Milarepa's negative karma. In subsequently years, Marpa transmitted Tantric he had the idea of putting together an initiations and instructions to Milarepa, including "yogic heat" (tummo) exhibition on Milarepa considering and “aural transmissions” (snyan rgyud), and Mahamudra. Under Marpa’s how most people these days instruction, Milarepa practised solitary meditation in caves and mountain lead a busy, hectic life. Where an retreats, which, according to the biography, after many years of practice exhibition condensing the essence resulted in "a deep experiential realisation about the true nature of reality". of Milarepa’s life story, practice and Thereafter, he lived as a fully realised yogi, and eventually forgave his aunt, parinirvana would enable all visitors who caused the misfortune of his family. to learn more about the Great Yogi Milarepa and his remarkable This is what Lama Dawa wants to convey through the exhibition – the ability achievements in less time, and to transform from a “mere mortal” who has experienced loss, betrayal and receive the immeasurable benefits pain; and burdened by anger, vengeance and negative karma of killing, into of knowing about this most famous an enlightened being. He explained that Milarepa’s example is inspiration to Yogi of Tibet. persevere in one's practice – from the generation stage to completion stage in achieving Mahamudra, “the spontaneous realisation of the most profound nature of mind.” This portrays the "the rapid method of the Tantric path", in which liberation is gained in one lifetime. Reflecting Impermanence The Milarepa Exhibition was a photo exhibition, that narrated Milarepa’s life journey in a clockwise direction, depicting how Buddhism was understood and practised in Tibet in the fifteenth century as well as the ticking hands of There were scheduled sessions where Lama the clock of impermanence. The photos were also arranged in chronological Dawa personally gave the visitors a guided tour of the exhibition. order, bringing visitors back in time, to the sacred places connected to Milarepa. This included sites where Milarepa performed miraculous acts. Inspiring Motivation for The iconography were presented in the stylistic elements from the biography Practitioners of Gautama Buddha to portray Milarepa effectively as a Tibetan Buddha, "born and enlightened in Tibet, without going to India or receiving the direct instructions of an Indian master”. And upon completing the tour of the exhibition, it was clear that despite all the references to the stages of generation and completion, and all of Milarepa’s meditation on the channels, winds, and drops, as he approaches the achievement of Buddhahood, his instructions to those he encounters continue to embody the core essence of Buddhist teachings: “Impermanence, The multi-story tower (9-storey) built by Mil- arepa, at Lhodrag.